WHAT PRICE A CONTRACT

[Guest]

WHAT PRICE A CONTRACT

We often criticise players for jumping ship after being offered mega backs to join another club not long after they have signed good deals with their current club and offer undying loyalty.

You can agree or disagree whether Spurs should have sacked Ramos, but to have already signed sealed and delivered a new manager/coach (Redknapp) whatever they call themselves today - the day before sacking Ramos questions why should any manager or player sign a contract because it means nothing. And what a way to do it, Ramos is at the team hotel with the players and in comes the clubs lawyers and fires him. How humiliating is that And yet who gave him a 4 and a half year deal and then sells his best players from under his feet. No club wants to be known as a selling club but Spurs are fast going that way.

What sickens me most is that the money men ie chairman Daniel Levy can hire and fire every time HE gets it wrong but remains in command simply because he owns the club. And guess what he is blaming everyone else except himself. Must be a mate of Gordon Brown.

The question is not whether Ramos should or should not have gone it is how can a manager (Redknapp) give his undying love not once but twice to Portsmouth when he returned after managing Southampton. It seems every man and his dog has a clause in his contract to be able to speak to another club and then leaves, leaving the other 99% of the contract being deemed not to be worth the paper it is written on.

Something is clearly amiss at Spurs behind the scenes because Spurs do have soem good players but it seems that they now know more than one of the most successful league managers of the decade. It reminds me when Sturrock went to Southampton and when he tried to get the players to do their best for the club, up jumps a youth team coach who gets the players behind him in ridiculing Sturrock for his training methods and tactics and look what happened to them. A never will be club who never has been.

‘Happy Harry’ is beginning to sound like that other I love the club manager ‘Holloway’. I have never trusted him and never will. He says: ‘this is my last chance to do something with a big club’. Why can’t he stay and make Portsmouth a big club. What an insult to the fans who idolised him. And what an enormous cost in lost merchandise, so they got £5m in compesation and what is that going to get them

But it all goes back to the question why should anyone have a contract if it actually means nothing. Why should a player be trusting of any manager who has a proven record of jumping ship having brought them in to leave them at the mercy of a new manager who many not rate that player. And he is now at their club. I think Spurs could do with a drop into the championship to make them wake up their ideas. And Leavy must make way for someone with a football brain and not just a money brain We live in a world of instant success but apart from the top four who else is going to take that opportunity because they will go broke in trying

I am not one of these idiots who because it is Portsmouth, a fellow Navy City like Plymouth who must be delighted that he has left Portsmouth because its the game that matters, or is that just some silly outmoded silly notion.

[Coopsie]

Were you bored when you did this thread ECPL??. ALOT said considering nothing whatsoever was wrong during the whole process..

On friday Harry Redknapp was in Portugal waiting for his flight back after the uefa cup game the evening before when he received a phone call from Peter Storrie. He was told that Tottenham had contacted Portsmouth that morning and asked whether they could be granted permission to talk to him (Harry Redknapp). They then instantly contacted Harry and told him that the necessary fee of £5million set BY THE LEAGUE was to be met by Tottenham IF he did indeed wish to speak to Tottenham.

Harry then held a half hour conference call with Storrie and Gaydamak and it was agreed that with the fee involved and the clubs current financial situation, it could well be the best thing all round for Harry to hold talks and accept the position he's waited his whole managerial career for, if he felt it was best for him.

Portsmouth and Harry were in talks for the last 2 months trying to draw up a list of players they can let go in January to raise much needed funds to hopefully enable the club to remain satisfactory financially, however this upturn in events meant that (in the words of Harry) "They were able to sell the manager instead, for what is silly money really"..

Portsmouth have come out and publicly stated that "Tottenham Hotspur and Hary Redknapp have conducted themselves with great professionalism and dignity throughout this very brief and rapid business process". "All correct channels have been used and although it is with great regret, we accept that Harry Redknapp has received an offer that is far too good to ignore at this stage of his career and Tottenham Hotspur have made the necessary and significant offer of compensation".

You see ECPL, I'm sure that you've been watching the news and getting the information from the many different interviews that have been on Sky Sports News and would therefore be aware that EVERYBODY is happy with the outcome of this particular bit of business.

You'll also know that Harry used to stand on the terraces of White Hart Lane as a boy and for him as a person, there is no greater way to bring the curtain down on a fantastic career in football, than to do it at "his club"..

I totally understand what you're saying about the worthlessness of contracts, loyalty etc BUT it all boils down to the same thing you and I would do if the chance ever arose mate. You're in a decent job and doing a really good job for your employers, then an even bigger firm comes in with arguably better prospects and the financial clout to help you achieve your goals within your work structure and on top of that, there would be the offer of a vastly larger salary.......... What would you do my friend???

[Guest]

How silly of me I would have seen out my contract. I have been in the same position as Harry by being head hunted but I left my job for pastures new because of my employers (I refused to sign my contract) and yes a double my salary offer. I wonder if Portsmouth had a Key Man policy on Harry. I'm glad you actually got around to the subject of contracts, pity you left it until the last paragraph to mention it.

You are almost right in the previous 85% of your posting. It is funny that the name Peter Storrie pops up. To say that the possible move had been discussed on the Friday night for the first time when Storrie telephoned Harry is a cracker. Believe that and you will believe anything. This had been on the cards for some considerable time and I wonder who was the mover and shaker that done the deal. And come on what do you expect Tottenham to say.

If people knew just what went on behind the boardroom at a professional football club they would be amazed - or maybe not. Deals are being done all the time and when one is about to be signed and sealed everyone must sing to the same hymn sheet and everyone is happy.

Unfortunately it still goes back to the value of a contract. It is meaningless. I’m sure happy Harry will do a good job at Spurs and no not everyone is happy. The Portsmouth players are being very loyal to the club with their remarks, but again what else could they say.

And to answer your question again I would honour my contract, but there again I am not happy Harry am I.